... Experts Debate Pros and Cons of Approach to Eliminating HAIs/p...ORLANDO Fla. April 7 2008 -- Getting toze... Like it or not the concept of 'getting to zero' is here saidPatri...Michael Edmond M.D. hospital epidemiologist for the VirginiaCommonw...

ORLANDO, Fla., April 7, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "Getting to
zero" - the emerging drive to eliminate infections acquired in hospitals -
is provoking much discussion in the healthcare community, ranging from
concern that the approach is overly simplistic and potentially dangerous to
praise that it is a motivating and worthy goal. Healthcare experts will
discuss the hot-button issue at the Annual Meeting of the Society for
Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) in Orlando, April 5-8.

"Like it or not, the concept of 'getting to zero' is here," said
Patrick J. Brennan, M.D., president of SHEA and chief medical officer for
the University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia. "As infection
control specialists, our job is to recognize the policy implications as
well as the unintended consequences."

Michael Edmond, M.D., hospital epidemiologist for the Virginia
Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, asks "Getting to Zero: Is
it Safe?" and examines the genesis of the concept as well as the forces
that are driving it. He discusses concerns that "zero tolerance"
regulations could lead to unintended consequences and is setting people up
not to deliver.

For example, some healthcare experts worry that putting an imbalanced
amount of weight on the elimination of one pathogen in the hospital in
response to legislation may contribute to conditions where another pathogen
could flourish. Dr. Edmond proposes that all hospitals should be putting
reasonable measures in place to prevent infection.

Arguing in favor of adopting the term "zero" as aggressive target to
motivate people and institutions to move in the right direction, Victoria
Fraser, M.D., co-director of the Infectious Diseases Division of Washington
University School of Medicine in St. Louis, addresses using the term
"zero." even though we do not yet know what fraction of infections is
preventable, nor do we know how much we can reduce mortality.

Also speaking at the session is Chesley Richards, M.D., M.P.H., deputy
director of the division of healthcare quality promotion of the CDC. He
explores the emerging financial, regulatory and legislative approaches
being taken to promote "getting to zero." He comments on several bills
before Congress that would require national reporting of hospital infection
rates. Currently, 20 states have passed such laws. He also discusses
Medicare's reduction of payments to hospitals in instances where patients
acquire an infection in the hospital.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that each
year there are 1.7 million healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) in
American hospitals and 99,000 deaths linked to them.

About SHEA

The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) was organized
in 1980 to foster the development and application of the science of
healthcare epidemiology, which is broadly defined as activities designed to
study and/or improve patient care outcomes. Healthcare epidemiology
includes a variety of disciplines and activities including epidemiologic
and laboratory investigation, surveillance, risk reduction, policy,
education and cost-benefit assessment.

(Date:10/13/2017)... ... 2017 , ... The International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals ... the field of eating disorders, announces the opening of early registration for the ... at the Omni Resort at ChampionsGate. , The annual iaedp™ Symposium ...

(Date:10/13/2017)... ... 2017 , ... Apple Rehab Shelton Lakes , which specializes in the ... facility as part of a disaster drill on October 3rd. , Apple Rehab participated ... Emergency Manager, as well as the Connecticut Long Term Care Mutual Aid Plan ...

(Date:10/13/2017)... ... 13, 2017 , ... Global Healthcare Management’s 4th Annual Kids Fun Run brought ... This free event, sponsored by Global Healthcare Management’s CEO, Jon Letko, is aimed at ... towards children of all ages; it is a non-competitive, non-timed event, which is all ...

(Date:10/13/2017)... ... October 13, 2017 , ... “The Journey: From the Mountains to the Mission ... lost souls in the Philippines. “The Journey: From the Mountains to the Mission Field” ... the Bible. She has taught all ages and currently teaches a class of ladies ...

(Date:9/13/2017)... Sept. 13, 2017 OrthoAtlanta has been named ... Football Host Committee (AFHC) for the 2018 College Football Playoff ... 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia ... AFHC "I,m In" campaign, participating in many activities leading up ... ...